Talk News

Football or Futbol?

by KJCE Staff,posted Aug 10 2013 3:08PM

Does football training equipment work for other sports?

One family uses the local high school equipment to train their daughter for elite level soccer. We ran into a soccer player Marissa Porras running through a football “gauntlet machine” doing soccer drills. The uniqueness of the drills being used for sport specific objectives was very creative. We observed a while and saw football sleds being used for hip check drills, football dummies used as splitting defenders and rolling off defenders with the ball.
If you have ever run through a gauntlet machine you know the arms of the machine can be quite an impact on your body. Watching a soccer player run through with no pads consistently to then pursue drills sport specific with father at side was a sight to see. We approached Marissa Porrasand father Elliott Ojeda and asked why they were using football equipment to train for soccer. Father pointed to daughter and said “you can answer this question." Marissa Porras response was, “it makes me have a tougher mentality and helps me learn to fight through obstacles in front of me."

The machines and equipment we saw being used were the Rogers PowerBlast , 1v1 sled , Pop up Dummies , Sled Dummies , Quarter back target nets , and Quarter back drop in net. Seeing football equipment being used in a practical training sense applied to another sport is something maybe other sports may have to consider.

“Gauntlet Machine “

The Rogers PowerBlast helps athletes develop better skills by learning to keep the feet apart, head up, eyes open, and shoulders low. Running backs can work on pumping the legs, covering the ball, and making the second effort. With the optional 2-man sled, the whole team can benefit. Train the guards to break a hole for the backs. Linemen and running backs can practice many drills including hit, spin, and run through. Repetitions on the sled pads help develop proper blocking techniques. Instill confidence and aggressiveness in your players this season with the Rogers PowerBlast™.